Taking forward community partnership in Skye and Raasay

Councillors at the Skye and Raasay Area Committee have today, (3 October), welcomed the creation of a new Community Partnership which will be launched this autumn and will play a key role in taking forward local planning arrangements.

The Highland Community Planning Partnership Board agreed at their meeting on 30th June to establish 9 local partnerships across the Highlands, including one in Skye, Lochalsh and Wester Ross. These partnerships will provide a focus for local discussion, engagement with communities and identifying priorities for the local area.

Under the terms of the Community Empowerment Act, community planning is to become a shared duty facilitated by Police Scotland, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, NHS Highland and The Highland Council. Along with representation from the Third Sector, community planning will also involve a further 10 partners including SNH, SEPA, the Scottish Sports Council, HITRANS, Skills Development Scotland and Visit Scotland.

The Community Partnership will replace the current District Partnership arrangements. It is proposed that Assynt will be incorporated into the Sutherland Community Partnership. The core remit or Community Partnerships will be to:

• Develop Local Plans for Children and Adults

• Develop Locality Plans/Community Learning and Development plans focusing on communities facing the greatest level of inequality as a result of socio-economic disadvantage

• Identify local actions and priorities

During today’s Area Committee, members had the chance to discuss progress and reaffirm their commitment to the new arrangements.

Chair of the Isle of Skye and Raasay Area Committee, Councillor Drew Millar said: “The new Community Partnership will further enhance a more local approach to decision making, with partners working together to address local issues and priorities together with the community. We, as local members, are all committed to making the new arrangements work and look forward to greater involvement of local people in decision making.”